#like if they really wanted min woo to get a redemption arc they should have built it up more but he literally had a 180 turn

[ettelwenailinon]

finally managed to watch the last episodes of woo young woo and godddddd I wish there were at least two more episodes, it really would have benefited from that

[thepersona]

Extraordinary Attorney Woo: Thoughts on episodes 13-14 (spoilers!)

Another bittersweet week with lots to unpack. Spoiler alert!

Let's start with the first hot topic, the redemption arc of everyone's favorite trash boy Kwon Min-woo. I will preface this part of my critique by stating the following:

Redeemable characters are great and can even be some of the best in any story. The best redemption arcs are plotted and hinted at over the course of the show and not sprung upon the audience towards the end.

At the same time, it's ok to have irredeemable characters in any story.

The fact is humans go both ways in that they can be stubborn in some ways yet open to change in others. But within the confines of a story, it all boils down to good storytelling, pacing, and execution.

Considering the format of the show - 16, 60 to 70-minute episodes - this has to be planned from the get-go and not decided in the middle especially because of a potential, and increasingly likely, season 2.

In short, I am iffy about this development.

I don't want to shoot the writers down just because we didn't see signs of Min-woo's potential for kindness in the first half of the show, but I can't be 100% optimistic about his seemingly shrinking devil horns in Su-yeon's presence. We know he's been smitten with her ever since she flipped her hair near the end of ep 9 but I don't think the show is shallow enough for him to change his ways over just that. It's not far-fetched to think he's feigning interest in her because of who her father is.

Instead, I'm counting on his characterization since the beginning of the show. Min-woo's most realistic and most consistent trait is that he's attracted to power. The motivation may not be as clear cut as the familial/financial difficulties he mentioned in ep 13, but whatever it is, he latches on to people with power with the hopes of getting in on some of the action. And if he can't succeed with the first person, he moves onto the next. Most notably, Attorney Jung made it clear that he didn't share his cutthroat ideals, not even his basic understanding of meritocracy. So, he went through the client in ep 5 and eventually, Tae Su-mi once he had what he thought was his golden ticket to Taesan.

But do you really think CEO Tae would let him get away with blackmailing her in her own office? And judging by the preview to ep 15, his threat is practically void once CEO Han beats him to divulging the info to the press.

This, along with his looming romance with Su-yeon, would put him at the crossroads of his character development. Will he blame Young-woo for his failure? Or will he realize what an ass he has been (seeing the consequences of the reveal) and hesitantly extend kindness to his rival?

Now, I don't expect a huge gesture of an olive branch from him, quite the opposite. Realistically, his pride should still stop him from doing a 180 in the next 10 episodes, let alone 2. But I must admit thinking of the set up in this way isn't half bad. Rushed, yes, but not entirely lazy. We'll have to see on Wednesday.

Moving on to the other hot topic of Jun-ho and Young-woo's break-up. In my previous review (here), I mentioned that a slump of sorts usually takes place following the momentous kiss in most dramas. And this takes shape in one or more of the following ways (verbatim from last week):

The writers give the couple something to disagree on / misunderstand because the honeymoon phase only lasts so long on and off screen.

The writers separate the couple because of a third party (family, love triangle, other).

The writers give the couple something to fix that may not have anything to do with their relationship to give the lovey-dovey stuff a break.

The couple gets boring because the relationship is put on the backburner and the writers are flipping a coin whether to set up a wedding or a breakup. (This is the worst.)

Sure enough, the first three have been realized to some degree, but get this, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Through pain comes growth, so they say, and I like to think this applies to our whale couple, too. Jun-ho has come across several practical challenges being a mainstay in Young-woo's life and he has done beautifully so far. But what's a few months compared to the rest of his life?

This roadblock is one of many that he would realistically have to face with her. Heck, any couple would have issues post-honeymoon stage. Even couples with neurotypical partners aren't always as emotionally well-equipped as Jun-ho (and even Young-woo tbh) to fix them.

I have loved how the show presents Young-woo's empathy and her journey in trying to express herself in a manner that won't be misunderstood. It's a process with a lot of trial and error, and uncomfortable for most because it means being vulnerable in a world that tells you not to be. This is what really made me love Young-woo's character. She experiences the world in ways that I would never understand yet she's still so relatable, not to mention brave and inspiring.

It's so easy to say (as people have done) that she should have told Jun-ho right away about his sister's comments, but it's so much more than that. She realized the burden she has placed and would continue to place on him so the last thing she wanted was to add to his troubles. One can continue to criticize by saying how selfish it was to keep him in the dark like that but one moment of heartbreak is small compared to a lifetime of the loneliness that he might feel by staying with her. In other words, Young-woo was perhaps misguided, but definitely selfless in her decision to set him free.

Critics should take a hint from how the case was resolved in the middle of the break-up:

JH: Remember how the Abbot said that what you see isn't everything?

YW: "What you see isn't everything. Don't be blinded by what you can see. Keep in mind the essence of what lies beyond that."

JH: Yes, that's what the Abbot said.

YW: That's right! I was blinded by what I could see that I forgot the essence of what lies beyond that.

The writer so brilliantly hints that they are both capable of doing just that. Therefore, I'm quite optimistic (though not wanting to jinx it) that Jun-ho and Young-woo are endgame. I'm hoping that her father has something to do with them getting back together once he realizes how much Jun-ho genuinely loves and cares for her.

Now a brief word about Jung Myeong-seok. Last week, we saw him freaking out about a potential attack from a previous client, stressing out about Young-woo's interest in social justice clouding her judgment regarding their case, ultimately coughing up blood at the end of ep 12. We learn a lot about his past and what he sacrificed to get to where he is now. But with his life in danger, it's only logical to ask whether it was all worth it. Young-woo says that it is, and I'm compelled to agree because deep down (again beyond what we see), his honest love for the law is what got him to this point, regardless of his diagnosis.

Based on his actions at the end of ep 14, he would probably adapt by slowly changing how he applies this love, helping more institutions like the temple, much like how the Yangtze River Dolphin adapted to freshwater. Again, I'm also optimistic that he will survive in the finale based on Kang Ki-young's well-deserved skyrocketing popularity. Did I mention his acting was chef's kiss this week? (gif not mine)

At first, I thought this week's case was understandably uninteresting so as not to overshadow the character development in both episodes. But again, taking the Abbot's advice myself, I really appreciate how the writer used elements of this case and setting (the painting, the noodle maker, the road) to tie the main storylines together. I don't want to be overly optimistic about the finale, but the subtlety of the writing this week has renewed my faith in the show's direction. Needless to say, I can't wait to see how this all comes together next week, even though I'm not ready to say goodbye to this beautiful show just yet.

Check out my midseason review (eps 1-8) and last week's review on eps 11-12!

[93daes]

I don’t often get so upset over a kdrama character to the point where I’d want to fight them. There was only one character on that list before but now Kwon Min Woo has made his way on there as well. At this point even if the character redeems himself, I’d still be mad. He’s not even trying to hide that fact that he thinks an autistic person with the skills and talent to back themselves up is still just an autistic person so how can they achieve anything without hand outs/connections? He has the audacity to be upset with Young Woo because she gets to be part of a society that would otherwise reject her if not for people being considerate of her. I bet he feels threatened that if he continues to be considerate to her, he’ll get nothing because he gave her all the opportunities that he would otherwise have. He thinks that if people weren’t supporting her, she wouldn’t get anywhere and that’s how it should be. He doesn’t even think for a second that the reason she’s getting praise and is doing so well is because of her own hard work. He’s also such a hypocrite because I’m sure if he had connections as well, he’d take full advantage of it because it would be a shame not to.

Edit: I also want to add that Min Woo only sees Young Woo as his competition because of her autism. He thinks by beating her, he’s exposing her and proving to everyone that she only got to where she is because people were trying to spare her feelings her whole life. He’s already made up his mind that she didn’t earn any of her achievements simply because she has a disability

Edit 2: I was so happy to see Young Woo defend herself by threatening to smack and punch Min Woo like Su Yeon said. And the look on Min Woo’s face was priceless, he really thought that she would just take his ableist bullshit and not try to stand up for herself. The irony in his words is that if he truly believes she’s strong and not this weak person everyone makes her out to be, then he should stop looking down on her

Edit 3: just going to put this here since I saw that the actor, Joo Jong Hyuk, is getting hate over Kwon Min Woo. Joo Jong Hyuk is Joo Jong Hyuk and Kwon Min Woo is Kwon Min Woo. Just because they have the same face doesn’t mean they’re the same person lol

Edit 4 (hopefully the last edit lol): I swear if they make Min Woo and Su Yeon a thing, I will throw hands. I was rooting for it in the beginning because I do love me a frienemies turned lovers couple, but once his ableism started showing, that was it. Su Yeon deserves so much better than him anyway. Same for Geurami, she should know he’s a total jerk to her bestie. He shouldn’t get a redemption arc either because there isn’t anything he can do to redeem himself anyway. He’s proven time and time again just how much of a disappointment he is.

[overthinkingkdrama]

Jona's Top 5 Second Male Leads Who Deserved to End Up Alone

[Disclaimer: This list is intended for entertainment purposes. It includes spoilers for the tagged shows. This is just my personal opinion, so I apologize in advance if I’m bashing your fave. I just woke up this morning and thought, “You know, I haven’t pissed anyone off in a while.”]

In the Kdrama fandom much is made of SLS, or Second Lead Syndrome, that is the condition of sympathizing with the secondary character, usually male and usually the hypotenuse of a love triangle, over and above the actual hero and wishing he would get with the female lead instead. Most of the time because the hero is an asshole and the second lead treats her like a human being. There are occasionally examples of SLS regarding the second female characters, but it is far more common with male, because unfortunately second female leads have a tendency to be stock characters or finger-steepling jealousy monsters, instead of fully fleshed out people. God knows I’ve had my share of SLS in every flavor…

But this isn’t a list about SLS, but rather the opposite of that. This is about the second leads I had no patience for. The ones who are a waste of air and screen time. The ones who annoyed me with their shitty “nice guy” attitudes or frustrated me with their passivity. The ones I immediately wanted to punch in the face. In short, the second leads who deserved to end up alone.

5. Kang Shin Woo/ You’re Beautiful

I’ve gone off several times in the past on the infuriating species infesting dramaland I’ve termed the “passive pining second lead”. I really dislike this character type, it drives me up a tree. So you knew going in one of these boys was going to end up on this list.

It didn’t have to be Kang Shin Woo. It could easily have been Ji Hoo from BoF or Kang Woo from Master’s Sun. Or any number of other second leads who fit this archetype. But it had to be one of them.

I can’t really explain to you why Shin Woo earned my particular ire. Maybe it was just teeth-grinding frustration I felt with each successive, convoluted attempt to woo Mi Nyeo. Maybe it was the weirdness of that let-me-stalk-you-via-telephone-while-you-go-on-a-solo-date thing. Or that fact that the male lead was such an unmitigated moron.

Shin Woo managed to miss his window while Mi Nyeo was still crushing on him hard. He had countless opportunities to confess his feelings and just waited and waited until she was almost obliged to fall for Tae Kyung out of sheer impatience. This is the kind of character that makes me want to tear my hair and yell at the screen “USE YOUR FRICKEN WORDS!”

Luckily, there’s an appealing “third lead” in You're Beautiful who saves it from mediocrity, and the drama is otherwise such dopey, fluffy fun that you can’t help but be endeared. Jeremy saves this from being higher on the list.

4. Lee Ji Hoon/ The Best Hit

Talk about a character who has one of the worst cases of “Nice Guy” syndrome I’ve ever seen. Lee Ji Hoon was one of those characters I was initially rooting for, since Best Hit’s ambiguous love lines appear to leave things open ended as far as the end game couple was concerned. For the first half of the drama it seemed like things could go either way, and the friends-to-lovers dynamic between Ji Hoon and Woo Seung was endearing and heartfelt.

Also Kim Min Jae is pretty. So, so pretty…

For a while I was worried he was going to fall into the “passive pining” category, remaining silent, and losing his chance. But finally he made up his mind to confess and I was ecstatic. Yes! Go for it! And that was just about when it all went wrong.

The way a male character handles rejection and disappointment is make or break in my book. It takes them farther than charisma, looks and even moral fiber. (Give me a pirate or a conman over an entitled asshole.) And for me Ji Hoon totally failed this very important test. After Woo Seung told him she didn’t return his feelings Ji Hoon continually badgered and attempted to win her over even when she asked him to stop, intentionally made her uncomfortable, and thrust a surprise kiss on her. My frustration with his character grew until the point were he told Woo Seung that he regretted meeting her first as his friend, after which point he was dead to me.

Despite the potential ickiness of timetravel paternity shenanigans, I was so relieved when Hyun Jae ended up being our male lead. The Best Hit remains one of my very favorite dramas of the year and I still highly recommend it. But if you want to come at me about SLS for poor, poor Ji Hoon, kindly get out of my house.

3. Han Tae Jin/ Another Oh Hae Young

Han Tae Jin had all the makings of a really interesting, sympathetic anti-hero. After all, he comes across like the obvious wronged party in this love triangle. Due to a case of mistaken identity, Tae Jin becomes the target of the jealous spite of our male lead, Park Do Kyung, ultimately causing the ruin of his business, the breaking of his engagement with the titular Hae Young, and getting him sent to prison! Ouch. That’s a lot of angst wrapped in an attractive Lee “Chiseled Jaw For Days” Jae Yoon.

And yet, instead of cutting a fetchingly tragic figure, Tae Jin turned out to be a vengeful, bitter, violent man incapable of letting go of a grudge even for the woman he supposedly loved. He was such an emotionally unstable, loose canon that I was frequently uncomfortable when he was onscreen. If I’m not very much mistaken he assaults Do Kyung not once, but several times, to such a degree that Hae Young ends meeting him to beg him not to hurt Do Kyung anymore. It struck me as incredibly messed up.

I really didn’t want Lee Jae Yoon on this list twice– I have nothing against the actor–which is the only reason his Cruel City character Detective Ji Hyung Min wasn’t on this list instead. I actually like Lee Jae Yoon! Just not the characters he tends to play…Luckily, Cruel City wasn’t extremely focused on the love triangle, it was focused on the pain. I chose his character in OHYA instead because, being a romance focused drama the way they handled the love polygon was more important to me. By the end of the drama they attempted to redeem him and it just didn’t work for me at all. Keep this dude the hell away from me.

2. Lee Joon Hee/ Falling for Innocence

There are a variety of strategies drama writers use to make us root for the jerk chaebol hero over and against the started-from-the-bottom second lead with treats the female lead with tenderness and respect. They give their heroes tragic backstories, slowly grow them into human beings, build UST, and give them melodramatic redemption arcs. The options are basically endless.

But why go through all of that when you can just make your second lead a secret scumbag murderer! There…all sorted.

This was honestly the most confounding bait and switch love line I’ve probably ever seen. When the reveal of who was ultimately responsible for the death of Sung Joon’s fiancé finally happened I very nearly threw my tablet across the room. They go to a lot of trouble to give Joon Hee a sympathetic long time unrequited love backstory as well as motivation for his sometimes morally dubious corporate ladder climbing. They also give him frequent shippy scenes with Sung Joon where he takes care of her and worries about her or vice versa. While in contrast Min Ho is absolutely horrible to her for a good portion of the show, the only thing that redeems him being a literal personality transplant.

They go out of their way to present this like it’s a legitimate love triangle, when given all of the facts it’s nothing of the kind. It makes me wonder why they even bothered trying to get me invested in the character since it turns out he’s actually evil.

Upon rewatch (started this one again rather recently) I had a lot more fun with this drama. Since I already knew what I was getting into I had the resounding pleasure of yelling at the screen every time Joon Hee and Sung Joon get a cutsy or romantic scene, which is very satisfying. The real reason to watch this show, Min Ho’s horrid behavior in the first episodes notwithstanding, is because Jung Kyung Ho is absolutely hysterical. For me it’s still kind of a garbage show with a garbage plot, but, hey, I love garbage.

1. Goo Jung Hee/ Ms. Perfect

There are very few characters in drama land that inspire in me the kind of hatred I felt for Jung Hee throughout this series. There are villians that don’t fill me with such seething rage. There’s a lot of adjectives I could use to describe Jung Hee. Loathsome comes to mind. An incomplete list of others would include: spineless, selfish, sniveling, and “the slimiest weakling ever to crawl the earth.”

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. I hate this so called man. And yet, to my eternal confusion he is loved by and romantically involved with not one, not two, but three different women throughout the course of the show.

Actually, this entry poses a little bit of a problem regarding what we actually consider to be a “second male lead”. For the majority of the list so far I’ve been using the definition of the “second romantic lead” or, in brief, “the member of the obligatory love triangle who doesn’t get the girl” rather than “a male character with lesser narrative importance and/or subordinate billing to the male lead.”

In Kdrama the two things are usually one in the same. Usually, but not always. The reason is a) most dramas place a heavy emphasis on romance b) romantic fulfillment is usually the overt goal or the overt reward of the hero’s character arc and c) if a show ends without romantic closure (dating, marriage, babies ever after) it’s not generally seen as “satisfying”. But there are cases where the character with top billing or greater narrative importance is not meant to be our romantic lead, or even necessarily someone we root for. Jung Hee falls into this category, which made me wonder if I should even include him on this list.

Because Yoon Sang Hyun received top billing and was considered, by all reports, the lead in Ms. Perfect there was a great deal of disagreement and turbulence surrounding the intended endgame of the drama. Sung Joon’s Kang Bong Goo readily fits the mold of the romantic lead but his screen time is about half of Jung Hee’s, so I can readily understand where these concerns came from.

I’m happy to report that Jung Hee remained a subject of sometimes pity, but more often disgust, and the only thing that really disappointment me with his plot trajectory was that he didn’t end up dying in a fire at the end of the show. Missed opportunity IMO. While certainly a weird and flawed drama, Ms. Perfect remained entertaining throughout its run and I honestly would recommend it if for no other reason that Shim Jae Bok is a goodamn queen. There is the notable downside that this character has forever ruined Yoon Sang Hyun for me as an actor, as I can’t even see his face without feeling slightly ill.

I hope you enjoyed my top fave LEAST favorite male leads. This list was requested anonymously and I would be interested in producing other, similar lists in the future. If you have a subject you’d like me to cover please send me an ask or reply to this post and I’ll take it under consideration.

Jona

[hisazuki]

Yona ch.137 spoilers

Akatsuki no Yona chapter 137 “To our allies” summary with pics

Please don’t repost/reuse my scans and translations without permission. Tumblr reblog is fine.

Do not use the raws or translations for scanlations and don’t upload them on other websites. If you need watermark-less images to make graphics, send me an ask (not on anon) and I’ll give you a link - you can only request 3 images per chapter.

The Wind tribe soldiers are observing Shin. They’ve noticed their army is gathering near the border: war will probably start soon. Han-Dae asks Tae-Woo if they’re going to obey Soo-Won’s orders. The general replies their tribe lives right next to Shin’s territory, so it’s a given they were called to fight. They must be ready for when the Sky tribe comes, that’s when the fighting will begin.

Han-Dae isn’t really happy about the war. Saki doesn’t understand why: didn’t he choose to go to Sei and fight the last time? Han-Dae says it’s because he had heard about Lili being captured (the rumor said she was weak, but he quickly changed his mind when he saw her ^^;). They both agree wars won by hurting people are difficult to come to terms with.

Back to Yona’s group. Ogi says he sent a messenger to the Wind tribe and that he should reach them in half a day. He asks Hak if “avoid battle” was really the message he wanted to convey. Hak says their priority is to buy time, even if Shin might start attacking in the meantime. Voldo suggests they hurry to the border as well.

Min-Soo rushes in and tells them about what he overheard: the Sky tribe will head for Shin in 3 days, and they have about 20000 men. Everyone is worried, the war will break out earlier than they expected.

Yona tells Hak to go to the Wind tribe first. She will try to slow down Soo-Won’s army. She plans to talk to a certain ally of theirs... Hak doesn’t want to let her go without him. Ogi offers to send a messenger instead, but Yona says she wants to meet that person herself, even if it might be difficult. Min-Soo is willing to accompany her.

Again, Hak says he won’t let her go alone. Argila will go with her, then. Yona tells Hak to go. The Wind tribe is waiting for him. She doesn’t want to have any regret, so she’ll do what she can on her own. She’s confident buying time and waiting for the right opportunity will allow them to find a way to end things peacefully between Kouka and Shin. Then they’ll all be able to go to the dragons, Yoon and Ao.

Hak says he understands and he’ll be waiting.

Yona realizes what she’s done, hides her face with her coat and leaves with Argila and Min-Soo. Hak is still stunned.

Hak: ...What was that?!

Voldo: She already left.

Hak: Hey, wait.

Voldo: I told you, she left.

Hak: Nononononononono it’s weird it’s weird it’s weird pukkyuu!

Ogi casually remarks things have turned pretty bittersweet in here. He’s having fun (and put Yona’s kanzashi in his hair :D).

Hak is upset. He can’t let himself be caught unawares by everything the princess does, but for her to do such a thing just like that... can’t she give him a break?

In the carriage Ogi lent them, Yona’s buried her face in her arms, blushing furiously. When Hak told her “I’ll be waiting” with his worried look, she felt she didn’t want to part with him. She talks to herself in her head: “Yona, there are things you should and should not do, you know?” “What are you trying to do, Yona?”... She has to forget and put it out of her mind. She must focus.

Han-Dae has read Ogi’s message. He wonders if it’s really from Hak. Tae-Woo recognizes Hak’s handwriting. The soldiers are confused: should they obey Soo-Won’s command to wait for the Sky tribe and fight with them, or listen to their former general? They turn to Tae-Woo for answers.

Tae-Woo reminds them they’re all from the Wind tribe, and from Fuuga. Kids from Fuuga have had something etched in their souls since very young. No matter how great the Heavens are, no matter how admirable the king is, there’s only one person standing at the top of the Wind tribe.

Tae-Woo heads to Shin army’s camp with his small group. Meanwhile, he tells his soldiers to have fun, they’re not going to fight. Han-Dae is worried: their leader told them not to fight, but is it really alright to go to Shin like that?

Apparently there was a 2nd page to Hak’s letter. It said to get along well with people from Shin. Problem: soldiers from Shin aren’t friendly at all! Han-Dae wants to give them some wine, but gets almost shot with an arrow.

Tae-Jun is in the castle’s courtyard, all muddy. Kyo-Ga scolds him for playing in the mud at his age. Tae-Jun says he’s been harvesting iza crops in a nearby village. Kyo-Ga is still angry: what good will it do him to learn agriculture? He’s his assistant now, can’t he see how much effort Kyo-Ga put into learning various things, obeying Soo-Won and trying to rebuild the Fire tribe?

Huk-Chi arrives and tells Tae-Jun he has guests waiting for him. Tae-Jun runs away from his brother and later thanks Huk-Chi for coming up with this lie to save him. But his aide tells him he really have guests, and they’re envoys from Hiryuu castle. Tae-Jun freaks out: did he do something to anger the king?

The first person he sees is Argila, a scary-looking guy who looks like he’s a seasoned warrior. Then 2 hooded figures... Min-Soo asks Huk-Chi to leave the room. Tae-Jun loses it: they’re here to kill him, right? Oh no, he has been traumatized by mean-looking warriors in the past! And he feels like he’s become a better person lately, but that doesn’t prevent him from still doing bad-ish things from time to time!

Voice: Tae-Jun...

Hisa’s thoughts on the chapter: 

Well well, it was high time we saw Yona pulling strings to achieve what she wants without relying on the dragons. Not only has she decided to use her influence to stop the war, she’s also “decided” to move forward on a more personal level (although her kiss with Hak was more of a spur-of-the-moment thing).

There are several things to discuss in this chapter, so I’ll just address the topics as they appeared.

1) Soo-Won. He’s still proceeding with his war plans, as he told Yona in the previous chapter. However, there might be something suspicious in the place he’s chosen to discuss this topic with Kye-Sook. It's an open room with no doors, and looks like a storage area. Obviously that’s where Min-Soo was headed, as he was pictured carrying books. No doors means Soo-Won didn’t care about being overheard and his war plans aren’t a big secret, or he purposefully brought Kye-Sook here knowing Min-Soo would be around to hear them. Was it his intention to have Min-Soo report back to Yona all along?

2) Min-Soo. What are you doing, Min-Soo? I can’t understand you. Rather, I don’t like this sort of redemption arc so late in the game. Kusanagi dumped his backstory on us last chapter, explaining why he was loyal to Soo-Won while still inclined to help Yona. Why is it now okay to defy SW’s orders even though he couldn’t a few months (?) ago when the king saved his life? Did something happen to his mother, has he found other powerful allies, or does he just not care anymore? I’m confused -_-; He’s like a convenient newfound ally that I want to trust but can’t.

3) Hak and the kiss. Yona asks Hak to go to the Wind tribe. I don’t really see what he can achieve over there that he couldn’t do via Ogi’s messengers. They know Soo-Won will arrive in 3 days, it feels like he only goes there to confront him and take the blame all on himself for the Wind tribe’s treason (which might be an admirable thing, but what can he hope to do against 20000 soldiers?). That’s where the kiss comes in. As I said when I first read the chapter, to me it was a non-event. Not because it doesn’t mean anything for Yona and Hak, but because the chapter has been constructed such as to place that kiss in the middle of the chapter, and not at the end like you’d expect for a meaningful, heartwarming confession. Just as Hak said, he mustn’t let himself be overwhelmed by what the princess does. That kiss might’ve been a pleasant surprise, but Hak didn’t even question it (like, does it mean she likes me? was it just a parting kiss? etc). It wasn’t romantic, and there were onlookers. Hak and Yona didn’t really get to enjoy it - it’s not the usual “I love you” shoujo kiss. Which brings me to point 4).

4) The Wind tribe. What the hell was that about Hak being their god and standing at the top of everything? Sure he’s powerful and played with the kids and probably attracted their loyalty, but... how blind and lovestruck can they be with Hak? From what we know, when Hak was young Mundok was the true leader of the Wind tribe, and Hak was the nice big brother everyone could annoy and train with even if he was reluctant, and he didn’t like going to the castle to perform his duties (partly because of Yona). He became their general at a young age, yet it was during King Il’s reign: during his time as a general, did he get to lead soldiers to battle or make strategies or anything that would justify being elevated to god-like status among the Wind tribe? Is Mundok such a doting grandfather that he’d let everyone worship Hak like it’s no big deal?

I fear this kind of buildup is a bad omen for what’s to come. The goodbye kiss + the Wind tribe saying they’ll blindly follow Hak to the ends of the Earth? This definitely smells like a bad-things-ahead/death flag. Only I don’t expect Hak will die, but I suspect something might happen to Tae-Woo or Han-Dae. Idk, the kiss upset me, and maybe that’s why I’m seeing bad vibes in the Wind tribe’s loyalty.

5) Tae-Jun. He’s back! And somehow he made up with his brother, seeing as he is his assistant/lieutenant now. I can’t wait to see how he’ll react to what Yona tells him. I was expecting Kyo-Ga to still be studying at Hiryuu castle, because he clearly will be an obstacle to defying Soo-Won’s orders. Maybe that’s where Min-Soo will come in handy, if he can lie and say he’s here as the king’s representative.

Next chapter will be titled disturbance/perturbation. I’m hoping we’ll get to see a bit of Kouren’s side of the story, but it will likely be the continuation of Yona’s talk with Tae-Jun and the confrontation between Soo-Won and the Wind tribe.